1. Field of the Disclosure
This specification relates to a remote meter reading system and a remote meter reading method thereof, and more particularly, a remote meter reading system using a plurality of master devices, in which a master device for collecting meter reading data and constructing communication network is provided in plurality, such that electricity meter modems can perform remote meter reading through communication with the plurality of master devices, and a remote meter reading method thereof.
2. Background of the Disclosure
FIG. 1 is a conceptual view illustrating a configuration of a remote meter reading system according to the related art.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the related art remote meter reading system has a master-slave structure in which each master device requests for meter reading data (electricity usage data) through direct communication with an electricity meter and the electricity meter transmits a response to the request. Each master device independently operates to obtain and manage only data obtained from electricity meters belonging to its network. Also, each electricity meter also processes and responds to only a request from one master.
If an electricity meter reading server (or an electricity metering server) and an electricity meter are in a bad communication state, data transmission and reception therebetween is enabled using multi-hop communication provided by a communication protocol. If response data has not been received after lapse of a predetermined time, the master device requests for retransmission of the response.
The conventional remote meter reading system adopts a method in which one master device communicates directly with a plurality of electricity meters. Here, if a communication condition between an electricity meter and the master device goes bad due to an external change, a communication success rate is lowered, thereby failing to read an electricity usage data. To compensate for this, reattempt is made upon a communication failure. However, once bad communication is caused, it is difficult to recover the communication state within a short term of time. Also, repetitive communication reattempts cause traffic within a limited network, and this may be likely to lower performance of the entire network.
Also, with regard to a physical communication line, in spite of actually enabling communication through another line, use of a line exhibiting bad performance causes usage efficiency of the entire network to be lowered.